Toll protests: Raj Thackeray released after detention

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray was released by Mumbai Police on Wednesday after he was detained on his way to Vashi where he was going to flag off a protest against collection of toll tax at toll booths in the state.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray was released by Mumbai Police on Wednesday after he was detained on his way to Vashi where he was going to flag off a protest against collection of toll tax at toll booths in the state.

The MNS chief appealed for calm and said that his party did not intend to cause any inconvenience to people in the state.

Thackeray was detained near Chembur in Mumbai along with other party workers.

"We wanted to prove a point to the government, we have managed to do that," Thackeray told reporters after his release.

"Government does not understand the trouble people are facing because of the toll," he added.

He said that he will meet Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday at 9 am and added that he should fix a deadline to review the flawed toll collection system.

Earlier, Chavan had urged to Thackeray to thrash the issue through talks.

"I know they want to play politics in an election year, but they should talk it out and not become violent," Chavan was quoted as saying.

Earlier, nearly 400 MNS activists were rounded up and taken into preventive custody in various parts of the city.